Combination lock



A. SCHNEGG COMBINATION LOCK Feb. 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 25,1950 17N VENTOR A ususTE S cri/V566 9V/ff? ATTO/NE Y yFeb. 91954 A.scHNEGG 12,668,433

' COMBINATION LOCK Filed Nov. 25, -1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3! iso lj/v'VENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 19.54 l' v ssi*l PAsi' olii-'ICE' iApplato'rNvembr-25, 1950, SerialNo:1971,53()l Claims. priority;application Switzerland July v19, 1950.

Thisinvention;re1ates' to'jaf combination VLlook Fg's 12 and'1'3 showlthe mountingof two cone.` adapted;to'connect two. separablelparts.;th'isjlocki. secutive coaxial' discs, on alargar scal'eltlan 'that Lcomprising on the one banda plurality of. coaxial of,Figs 10'and11'.Vdiscs capable 'of turninggindependently' of;` 011. In .Figs. 1 and.,8.thetreferenceletterswAandBL anothei'about their'axis'and'-ontl'1'eother, handa 5 indjcatejhejwo separablejparts or members to be toothed'iocking fd'evice'L, these. discsabing. formed: l fastenedv togetherby.-A means 4`of` the: combination... Witirfcircular'grooves on' theinside; provided'.with 10ck radtlmnotcnes Which'whn brought into' agiven In..1thefrstembodimentt(Figseitoc'llthealoweae posmon permit the'Said teeth' t0 passfthus allow' member-B-f-isi-.clampect-fbetweenaebase' plate eta. ing the lock:to'be'un1ocked2`" l0 whioh mayybe round :orf: otherwisea shapedg-gandseanother pla-te;v 2 fof; q-.thefsame fshapestheiiplates v.' being xecl-:together-by f fourerivetsioewhioh;twee.; 3 and@,-Lare-.shoWxiimFigThezfbaseiplata-ilis'e. provided AWiths'fa `s centrale circular.openinga 5i eine which. is.' engaged-:thea base :6. offtheiguiing:com-i1: f? Whichis in the;formiofafhollowcone;-Thias l tening of'ithe:core to thei-:platei'l eiictedi` caiilking, its lowenfedg'efffinithee'openinger Theae position in' relatiorVto'the said. groovesand.. aA ..20 gmdmg com 1 1S .'f'omedv' Wit-'hi a lctflmgumagmk'1e'mein-gap@sitimu--tewards Awhich' iuris, iesiiieriily;v S10 5'made'so'astocfve 9" `fmtwn`-th`lengtl urged;l what Whenthe .1o-ck isbingwlosed the vof theexternalan internal;generatricesfoit'the edges ofthegrooves ,act 'onth oblile sides of @one (Fg-'6)""'-' The'Xng 0fIthev-sa'ldcore'totlief theteeth'and thugdispmthmtcrgtowandthe, baseplate-I' 'is' facilitated@"b5lr the'-'shoulder'-19'latiinoperativefposition"until"A the 'grooves .proper25 the'bttomofthecorereachiaposition oppgstethe corresponcmg teei-,hl` A. latchl'0',:"mounte'd' inthe slot''gis'allwed to""' andth'ereby`al-low'thedlatch to'.sld'e towardsits'A l. slideithereinlinzadirection;.perpendiculait'itdtleif' locking -position','^it"-'bing.thus, pqssibl'etd effet axisof the. core 'l (Fig..'1).`Itis"provi'ded"witlfa theclosure'of'tne l'ockwith tli discs any relaL-stopping' catch'i I which prevents'itfrorirl'eaYing'N tive angularpositiom 30 the slot. A"'plate'espring:|21"theextremties'iofTheatteehedfdrewine 'represents two rem-bedi-` whi'ch 'aresupported''against'the'in'side Wall t3'10f ments1 'oftheinvention; chosen by wayof "ex-i the' C0re,...'.bea1's`, "vi/'ithtsv convex'pa'rt'", fagainstf'*amples* l the' backside of the latch.' Tlie latclris'provided`r` Figi 1isiafiongitudinaizseetion, 'en iineJ-'Ior with equidistantsawtype teeth'15," liandi Fig: 23S-of'the=-loclc in'-tfie^'closed' position, together35 The upper' member-A Whichis toi'b fastened? with-thetwo-memberswhich'th'e io'clepisintendea; to". the lowerm'ember Bby'meansOf'tlie'ldckis.: toffastemtogetherr clamped to. a frame' i8" an'dpabottom plate lfbotli" It'isian ob'jectcof the' presentinventionto1,pro.vide-'inea combination'lock of the above c1a`ss,. an`upstarrdingcore'overrWhi'chthe discs slide axially A When-"the "'lo'ck'being; opened or .closedj'anci which t'carriesa isliing llatch *providedwith the.. 15 above:rner-itionedv .teeth in the? form. of..dis"sym.metrical*teeth corresponding; ,.nHmbrwand.. in.. i arangement;;' with'.'the .circularL grooves, thisN latchb being''capable'.` 'ofeassumin'ganinoperative pige-4 Yis afdiva'metrica-l" septionyon 1in@ Y1'V;' '[V"'cess of cavity'25fthe bottom Wall 26`of'tliisirec'essjf" of-'Fif'fofa-single* dis'cg beingjprovided withA an'aperture' With'acirculars."

Figi-'5 is*a-pIairfviewofthisuisc;its"lower sur.- outline ,21;itoenable" the" guiding` .core T torass.' facebeing shown? through:A In'the' circular'edge28""ofithei cavity' Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively enaxial section 45 25'anarrow'eroovex2'9'is'providef Ofi upper onx VlineLVILLVI'- "of AFigfand Ta. p1'a'n"'vi'eW"frm surface' round the'carityjz'th'frame'. |18 i's'proe; aboverof'th'eguidingicorer* -vide'dwith signs 30:,"for instance the letters: ofjthm.'

Figa J8 fis" 'a i longitudinal' section of *tl'elock fin 50 A.rstannular disc' 3' I is' accommodated. 11111131.16. thief-closedI1aosiftion;along the' axisof the' guiding cavity 25 in' 'such'a Wayasto becapable'ofturne Goreyl ing,in' 'this cavity,abo'ut'th'everticalaxs'of Fig'illustrates'the'latch'imperspectii/e.View. metryof'th'e' framel'8."Thi's' disc ,3 l".i"s' provide`d,j.

Fllgl-U 1' viewfinmlang from'ib'e'lo'w; of' the Witli acentralcircularaperture' 32`in1itswallj baseplate. carrying-the `core 'and' thelatch'.. 55 -33 which'i's deepwthrespectto'theuppersurface which can beturned about the axis of the frame I8. As in the case of the frame, thecylindrical edge of the cavity 35 of the rst disc is formed with anarrow groove 31.

In addition, a complementary deep groove 38 is formed in the peripheralwall of the disc 3I. The second disc 36, co-axially arranged on the rstdisc 3I, in its turn comprises a recess or cavity 48 serving toaccommodate a third disc 46 the shape of which is similar to that of acap. The second disc 36 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. Thisdisc is provided with a narrow groove 42 in the inner cylindrical edgeof its cavity 46 and with a narrow deep groove 43 in its periphery.

The inner wall 44 of this disc 36 is sunk in relation to its upper andlower surfaces and is provided with a circular aperture 45 with aconical edge, the generatrices of which are practically parallel tothose of the guiding core 1 when the lock is in the closed position. Inits cavity 48 the second disc 36 carries the cap 46 comprising a flatintermediate wall 41 provided with a circular aperture 48 with a conicaledge, this aperture being coaxial to the axis of symmetry of the frameI8. The outer cylindrical edge of the cap 46 is formed with a narrowdeep slot 49. The inner extremity 58 of this cap is shaped so as to tthe top of the guiding core 1 exactly. Between the extremity 58 and theintermediate wall a circular groove 5| is cut, the depth of which isequal to the height of the tooth I1 of the latch I8. A second circulargroove 52 is provided between the intermediate wall 41 of the cap andthe intermediate wall 44 of the second disc 36; the depth of the groove52 is scarcely greater than the height of the tooth I6 of the latch.Lastly, a third circular groove 53 is provided between the intermediatewall 44 of the second disc and the wall 33 of the iirst disc 3I. In theseparation walls 33, 44 and 41 of the grooves 5I ,V52 and 53, notches54, 55 and 56 are respectively cut, which are slightly wider than theteeth of the latch III and having a depth substantially equal to theheight of the upright side of the saw Vteeth I5, I6 and I1. The bottomwall 26 of the frame I8 is likewise provided with a notch 64 in itscircular aperture 21.

The two discs 3I and 36 and the cap 46 are kept in a convenient positionon top of one another on the frame I8 in all positions of the supportingmember A. For this purpose radially deformable retaining, cut rings 51,58 and 59 are each engaged in two corresponding grooves at the sametime. The rst ring 51 is conned within the groove 29 of the frame andthe external groove 38 of the rst disc 3I the second, 58, within thegrooves 31 and 431 of the rst disc and of the second disc 36respectively; the third ring 58 is coniined within the internal groove42 of the second disc and the deep groove 49 is providedin thecylindrical external edge of the cap.

The two discs 3i and 36 and the cap 46 are each marked on the uppersurface with a radial adjustment line 68, 6i, and '62 respectively;eachv of these lines has to be made to coincide with the radius passingthrough the corresponding letter 38 of the chosen combination, on theframe I8.

Assuming that the lock is closed, it can be opened only by bringing thenotches 54, 55 and 56 of the Vtwo discs and the cap into alignment withthe Viixed notch 64; this alignment is effected by turning the discs andthe cap, independently of one another, so that the adjustment lines 68,6I

Vand A62 are pointed towards the letters. of the secret combination. Thediscs and the cap then occupy the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, inrelation to the latch I8. It is seen that the sawteeth I5, I6 and I1 canpass freely through the corresponding notches 54, 55 and 56 when theoperator lifts the supporting member A with the frame I8 and the memberswhich it carries: the discs slide axially along the guiding core 1.

In order to close and lock the lock immediately, even if in the meantimethe discs have been brought into any other relative position, one needsonly to bring the member A up to the member B so that the series ofcoaxial circular apertures 25, 32, 45 and 48 is automatically centred onthe guiding core 1. The edges of the said apertures then act on theinclined sides of the teeth I5. I6 and I1 and drive the latch I8 intothe interior of the cone I3 as far as the position drawn in dot-dashlines in Fig. 1 whereby the discs and the cap are enabled to slide overthe core 1 until the top of the cone 1 touches the extremity 58 of thecap. The teeth are then opposite the grooves corresponding to them andare introduced into these grooves by the action of the spring I4 whichslides the latch I8 from right to 1eft (Fig. 1) so as to lock thecombination In the second embodiment, shown in Figs. 8 to 13, the lowerfiat part B is at all times clamped between a base plate I38 and anexternal anchor plate I3 I, the plates being held together by rivets 3and 4. The base plate |30 is fixed by screws 61 to a flange of a guidingcore 68 and to a ring v68. The conical guiding core 68 is provided.

over the whole of its height, with an axial slot limited by parallelsides 18, in which is guided the operative part 1I of a sliding latch(Fig. 9). operative part 1I, one edge of which is cut out so as to beprovided with two or more locking teeth 12 and 13, is supported by asmall base plate 14 which can slide in the interior of the ring 68,between the base |28 of the core 68 and the anchor plate I3I A roundedtriangular wireA spring 15 is supported in a circular recess limited bythe ring 69. This spring having its extremities engaged in holes 16 inthe small base plate 14, urges the latch 1I-14 as shown by the arrow F1(Figs. 8 and 10) Y The upper part A which the lock is to fasten to thelower one B is clamped, by means of rivets 28 and 22, between afrarneIIB and a lower circular plate 11 provided with an aperture. This frameIIB is provided with a central partition 18 separating two circularcavities 19 and 88 in one of which (19) is placed a triangular stoppingspring 8 I, the corners of the triangle being let into notches I35 ofthe lower rim 82 (Fig. l1). When the lock is closed the spring 8lresiliently engages in a groove 83 of the core 68 to effect the stoppingof the frame IIB and the discs on the said core. It is thus possible tokeep the lock closed without having to operate the discs or the secretcornbination. n

A narrow groove 84 provided in the cylindrical edge of the cavity 88partly accommodates an assembling flat circlip 85. The upper annularsurface 86 of the frame II8 is provided with letters of the alphabetwhich are not shown in the drawing but are arranged in the same way asthe letters 38 in the first embodiment (Fig. 2), for the combinationswhich enable the lock to be opened.

A rst annular disc 81 is accommodated in the cavity 88 in such a way asto be able to turn, in the cavity, about an axis RF-R which is common tothe two discs 81 and 88. The disc 81 is ThisV shaped. t

Dmvdedawithiza;.acentraktcimulazaapeutunm89k.miitsawaltlil-.awhiehebeing sete-.bacia theaupp erasur-iaceroi this ldiscforms-.she otiaricavityiinswhiclr.thasecond idisc 88 can-.turnerItisathelsgonlymecessamy toi-bringe thisrsecond disevservingialsosastacan. Thegcylin-i essftogetherf:byfmeansebyatweeze.dricaledge-ofthecavityafcontaimnggtheaseccnai ers'and-tmplace-:thenrnconteo u( 4 im its turnfforined: wlthfvzamarmwigrnoyreiiriiFgs'l-ftaenablezthe; circlipiE-abysbeing come 925.vwhining-partly;accommodatesasam assembling-s Dressed toscapesfromzztheigmcvec nndeictheai circlinpi. Theasecondadiscaisissprowidedswit action Ebre-saure: Thesunttzsconsiste.- aiccntralwallen withfi afcentralsapertnre'yazitlitiilwgmthe i88ffisd7henremoxzedfrbm: enablentheicore: .B 8fto passzt-hrouglm. theafremeatl 8iWhen..-.the-.lockwisi.irrether; losedf positiomsthelockingggtoethe'lZ-offthei latclmisaengagedrfreel f f betweem theiwall.lo-ofrthefdiscfm Zand ithe'rcentmis extremitiess walt` tof Lthesecondidisdsandithe secondgtootrtftlsttouoh `.position shewzrzi1:bis:engagedireelyebetween-this centralewaitibi circlipsI 9'3`irveilibe.'enablemtorfescapaGirmi thea and theeextremityfioff:thedisc'rewhichoutcivesgmaveae-SZ-sgundexifthe actioneofrranfiax 1.11 f..The=:f';dscs;f.f'|iaanch88h are-,#separateds tithe notelfrnlillil;casi;I

k1-:groove gsprov-i'ded :onflthe.f11Derileherydei?fthetsyrsmiiscgzcooperateainfaregistaringipcsiticm'withioaL 1.21mmnbinatiomdccmioiningitwofseparable/f theicomplementarygrpo ve Vliftof-.theframeitdm apermredtfiabzpautseasrstpantacarrying1a=firstfportithe.iassemb-lingcirclim5::.. Thee-,seic'ondse` portiere ,saimbinationzlockcomprising ai cliplg3sfismcconnnodatediin the groove 92 ofthe hollowesgmdinig hScorersprovided .witlrliia slidingfirst disc and atthe same time in a correspondtoothed atch scendi particarrymg...Ysecond-'f ing @me 9.1''provi'dedr-on the.-rperipneryer:the mmm-:tierno...saida'combmation Ilock''compmisinag@as second disafwl The Vfgrooves:hclidsand 92, 91 supportingefnametfdzlmugii whichisaictircoreuexe' havea rectangular cross section and are parallel.,tendsfmnh-.emiwhichiarexstabkedccaxial fr to the'wall 98 of the firstdislc`8'1i The lowerface" liksizdiscsishaeiriaextemaltmarks Vfoin-lause'creti ofthi's wailili isapplied'by theed'geof itsci'rcul'arcombinationf; andfeagra'dialinneie sie wherebyi. aperture"89;on"'theannulafseating IlllfoiltlieA Sdfiathe'sieidiscsiareseparatelyiirotatableandcooperate-= corHB 8 so thatthe discs' 1J"aniif'V areihldllri' Wiiihiithcfiteietl'rroietleiilatohtlthefol'lolwinglstri-1c-1Ar parallelrelationshipto'the baseplate 1'4if:.1thtulemmhiiiglfsuppllgllmmfef'fflteiied'1 latch". Thecircular'apertures'gand 95"i`n` the' to said first flat Dart and shaped to form a rerotarydiscs are provided with radial notches 89 cess limited by a Hai? bOtiOmparallel t0 the rSt and 95 respectively which are a little wider than 36flat part and by peripheral walls; said guiding the teeth 12 and 13 ofthelatch. core being of substantially conical shape and 'I'he discs 81and 88 are each marked on their being fastened to said supportingmembers, said outer surfaces, towards the periphery, at 81 and corehaving a lower face opposite and parallel 88 with a radial adjustmentline which is not to the flat bottom of said recess and a radial shownbut which is equivalent to the lines 60 and 40 straight-lined slot, saidlatch comprising a plate 6| of Fig. 2. Each of these lines in successionhaving a plurality of aligned saw-type teeth pohas to be made tocoincide with the radius passsitioned and guided in said radial slot anda ing through the corresponding letter of the secret base-plate (14)resting on the at bottom of combination. In order to open the lock thesaid recess, said base-plate being held in said notches 89' and 95 arebrought into alignment 45 recess by the lower face of said core, springwith the slot 1i) containing the latch, by pressing means yieldinglyapplied on the peripheral walls with the fingers on the milled parts 81'and 88' of said recess and on said base-plate to urge the so as to pointthe adjustment lines towards the teeth of the latch outwardly of saidradial slot letters of the secret combination. With the exinto lockingengagement with said washer like ception of the number of letters, theoperation of 60 dises.

this lock is the same as that 'of the iirst embodi- 2. In a combinationlock joining two separable, ment described. apertured flat parts, afirst part carrying a first The central partition 18 is provided with anportion of said combination lock comprising a arch-shaped window 98 forlateral access tothe hollow guiding core provided with a sliding circlip85 and the wall 98 is provided with an 55 toothed latch, a second partcarrying a second arch-shaped window 99 for access to the second portionof Isaid combination lock comprising a circlip 93. In a certain positionthe window 98 centrally apertured supporting frame (l |8) communicateswith a notch |08 in the lower through which said core extends and onwhich edge of the disc 81, and the window 99 communiare stacked coaxialwasher like discs having eX- cates with a notch IUI in the second discwhen 60 ternal marks for a secret combination and radial this latter isin a certain position. The extremiinner slot, whereby these discs areseparately ties of the circlip 85 are bent back inwardly as at rotatableand cooperate with the teeth of the 85' (Figs. 12 and 13) and those ofthe circlip 93 latch, the following structure comprising: suparelikewise bent at 93'. porting members fastened to said rst fiat part Thecirclips 85 and 93 when free have maxi- 88 and shaped to form a recesslimited by a fiat mum diameters slightly greater than those of bottomparallel to the first flat part and by pethe respective grooves 84 and92 of the frame and ripheral walls; said guiding core being of subof therst disc, and as a result the said circlips stantially conical shape andbeing fastened to bear resiliently against the bottoms of these saidsupporting members, said core comprising grooves. Y 70 a lower planeface (|20) parallel to said flat To disassemble the unit consisting ofthe discsbottom, an external shoulder or annular seating 81 and 88, fromthe frame ||8 after the lower (|40) in parallelism with said lower planeface plate 11 has been removed, the disc 81 is turned and a straightlined radial slot (18), said latch until the window 98 and the notch |00are facmember consisting of a base-plate (14) slidinging one to theother. When the lockwas be- 76 ly arranged in said recess in saidsupporting members and of a plate-shaped working part positioned andguided in said radial slot and being provided with two teeth the sidesthereof being parallel to said base-plate (714), while the tops of saidteeth are inclined; spring means yieldingly applied on the peripheralwalls of said recess and on said base-plate to urge the teeth of thelatch outwardly of said radial slot into locking engagement with saidwasher like discs, said centrally apertured frame being provided aroundits central aperture, with a cylindrical Vrecess (80) having a at bottomparallel to said base-plate of the core, in the locked position, 4thelateral wall of saidy recess being provided with a cylindrical,rectangular sectional groove; said coaxial washer like discs including arst combination disc rotatably tted in said'cylindrical recess andprovided at its periphery, with a rectangular sectional grooveregistering with said groove in said frame, said rst combination disccomprising an upper cylindrical recess having a lateral wall providedwith a rectangular sectional groove, and a flat apertured bottomv theunderface of which is applied on said annular seating (140) of saidcore; said coaxial Washer like discs also including a second combinationdisc rotatably fitted in said cylindrical recess of said firstcombination disc and being provided with an external groove, rectangularin section and registering with said groove of the cylindrical recess ofsaid first combination disc; a rst split washer engaged in said bothregistertion disc; and a second split Washer engaged in the saidregistering grooves provided in the upper recess of said rst combinationdisc and in the periphery of said second combination disc, said rst andsecond split washers having their extremities bent back, said grooves insaid first and second combination discs being parallel to said annularseating of said core, said first and second combination dises beinglaterally notched ([00, HH) in such a manner that the notchescommunicate with the peripheral grooves therein, said bent extremitiesof the split Washers extending into lsaid notches, the sizes of saidnotches being greater than the spacing of said bent extremities of thesplit washers in their expanded position in said grooves. whereby theouter diameter of said Washer in a compressed state. through contactingtheir extremities is smaller than the respective outer diameters offirst and second combination discs, in order to allow the disassemblingof the latter by an axial shifting.

AUGUSTE SCHNEGG.

`References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 659,045 Amess Oct. 2, 1900 813,992 Wachter et al. Feb. 27,1906 1,320,806 Sumgail Nov. 4, 1919 31,482,515 Hainline Feb, 5, 19241,513,721 Wilson Oct. 28, 1924

